Family Court of New Zealand
| Family Court of New Zealand | |
|---|---|
| Te Kōti ā-Whānau Aotearoa (Māori) | |
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| Established | 1 October 1981 |
| Location | Level 3, Justice Centre, 19 Aitken Street, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Composition method | Appointed by the Governor-General on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the Prime Minister (Chief Justice) and Attorney-General (Justices) |
| Authorized by | Family Courts Act 1980 |
| Decisions are appealed to | High Court of New Zealand |
| Judge term length | Life tenure (Constitution Act 1986, s 23) |
| Number of positions | 43 |
| Website | www |
| Principal Family Court Judge | |
| Currently | Judge Laurence Ryan |
| Since | 2013 |
The Family Court of New Zealand (Māori: Te Kōti ā-Whānau Aotearoa) is a court that specifically exists to assist New Zealanders with family issues. There are 58 Family Courts throughout New Zealand.
Although the Family Court is technically a division of the District Courts, it retains its own identity.
The Family Court most commonly deals with issues relating to the welfare of children. It also deals with issues relating to births, deaths, marriage, and mental health. The usual course of action from the Family Court is to facilitate the parties involved to solve issues themselves through counselling, conciliation and mediation.
The Family Court deals with applications under the following legislation:
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Wikipedia